"The PS2 is a unique one -- we still generate a whole lot of profit off PS2 sales, but we're going to keep PS2 where PS2 does sell, and we won't put it in stores where we see really lapsed sales," Mike Dzura, GameStop's senior vice president of store operations, told The Verge.

Dzura went on to say that the PlayStation 2 will be removed from many stores on "the coasts" of the U.S.

"The heartland of the U.S. tends to catch the wave a little bit later than the coasts to a degree," Dzura said. "So we kinda bring it in, and we'll take it out of the stores where the shelves would be better served by next-generation product, or they're just small stores where they can't fit it in."

The PlayStation 2 has also proved to be a console with outstanding lasting power. It's extremely unlikely for a console to last much longer than a generation -- generally four to six years -- let alone more than a decade. The PlayStation 2 became the focal point of Sony's charge that it delivers hardware that can last more than a decade -- something the company claims its competition cannot match.

"The 10-year life cycle is a commitment we've made with every PlayStaiton consumer to date, and it's part of our philosophy that we provide hardware that will stand the test of time providing that fun experience you get from day one for the next decade," a Sony representative told CNET last year.

Now though, the time has come for the console to start moving off store shelves. As GameStop noted in the discussion with The Verge, Nintendo will be offering up its new console, the Wii U, later this year. It'll be followed next year or in 2014 by Microsoft's next Xbox and the follow-up to Sony's PlayStation 3.

Those still interested in getting their hands on the PlayStation 2, however, can do so. The device currently retails for $99.99.

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About the author

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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